


Soul in Peril

by Merfilly



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-10-21
Updated: 2008-10-21
Packaged: 2018-01-03 02:37:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1064737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate take on Joey in Match's body</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soul in Peril

The Titans stood stunned as they watched Match's near-zombie like body slump under Flash's hold.

"It's me, guys...I'm stuck in this...I've tried and tried to escape," Jericho said as it really sunk in. His eyes went from one to another, feeling the utter distrust aimed at him. Then his eyes found Raven's and read the complete fatigue of body and spirit in the one Titan he had felt a special connection to for so long. "Raven..."

The empath closed her eyes and reached out, before her body went rigid with shock. "That body is not inhabited by its own soul, Joseph. That is why it will not let you free. It has been driven by instinct alone, instinct that was no doubt honed by..." She stopped, not wanting to hurt the sensitive artist.

"My father," Jericho finished for her, savagely.

"Yes."

The rest of the Titans slowly relaxed from full alert as they truly understood their friend was in dire trouble. Raven would do what she could to save him, as he never would have gone 'evil' or 'died', had he not tried to save her in the beginning.

`~`~`~`~`

_Warm, honey voice, calling, pulling, promising him release. Need to move, to follow, to obey the voice. Fighting the waves of energies keeping him in this timeless void, remembering always the vivid mark of green, red, and yellow...his anchor in the place the voice called from._

`~`~`~`~`

Raven maintained the chant was long as she dared, the body laid on the floor before her, her teammates all around her in a solid show of support for both of them.

No one dared hope the truth was just as she said it was.

And yet...

The body took a deep gasping breath, and the skin rippled with new vitality pouring through it. It welcomed the soul coming to join it, finally casting aside the one it had claimed. The Titans all tensed, as Jericho, looking far too pale and stricken emerged next to the form he had worn since the fateful battle on Titans' Island.

"That's Joey," Beast Boy whispered. 

"Question is, who's home in Zombie Boy?" Cyborg finished for him.

Raven merely watched, listening closely as the gasping breaths evened into a groan of pain.

"Dude, where's a beach when I need one?" came the irreverent tones of one very missed Super.

Nightwing let the breath he'd been holding, and hit a speed dial on his cell. "Little Bro, you need to come up to me, fast as you can...got a surprise for you that's not going to wait." He watched as Jericho moved to clasp hands with Kon, just before Troia helped the teen up, so he could go sun and complete the healing his body needed.

"Can't believe it never was Match at all," Flash said to the ones who stayed behind. 

"Teach us to ever bury a super without being real sure the body's ready to be dead," Beast Boy quipped.

"And the soul properly moved on," Raven said, feeling renewed to have helped not one, but several, with this, for there were younger Titans that would benefit from Kon's return.

Jericho just smiled at her, holding a hand out, grateful when she accepted it, and they could both, finally, rest.


End file.
